The Impact of iNaturalist on Biodiversity Monitoring and Research

This chapter delves into the experiences of citizen scientists on iNaturalist, the valuable data collected, and the advancements in biodiversity monitoring through community collaboration and AI tools. It discusses the challenges of sampling bias, efforts to broaden global participation, and the evolution of iNaturalist from a small project to a widely recognized platform. Moreover, it highlights the positive influence of iNaturalist in changing people's perceptions of nature, engaging millions in conservation efforts, and providing essential data for scientific research and conservation policy.